Dentists highest paid workers in America (top 3)

[CasaElGato]

1. Oral Surgeons
2. Orthodontists
3. Prosthodontists
4. Anesthesiologists
5. Internists
6. Obstetricians
7. Psychiatrists
8. Surgeons
9. Physicians
10. Chief Executive Officers
11. Family Practitioners
12. Airline Pilots

ABC News
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Yahoo News 9/7/06

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[Dr. Dai Phan]

You see, going into Pros ain't too bad... DP

 

[2quik]

hard to believe CEO is 10? You sure these arent old stats?

 

[psiyung]

1. Oral Surgeons
2. Orthodontists
3. Prosthodontists
4. Anesthesiologists
5. Internists
6. Obstetricians
7. Psychiatrists
8. Surgeons
9. Physicians
10. Chief Executive Officers
11. Family Practitioners
12. Airline Pilots

ABC News
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Yahoo News 9/7/06

I dont care what source that is. Those stats are pure BS

 

[ToothMonkey]

Terrible. That has to be one of the worst income rankings I've ever seen, and that's really saying something considering the competition.

 

[SuperTrooper]

1. Oral Surgeons
2. Orthodontists
3. Prosthodontists
4. Anesthesiologists
5. Internists
6. Obstetricians
7. Psychiatrists
8. Surgeons
9. Physicians
10. Chief Executive Officers
11. Family Practitioners
12. Airline Pilots

ABC News
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Yahoo News 9/7/06

You got a link for that?!

These rankings might not be too accurate, but i still like seeing them nonetheless. I plan on making a sh*tload of money when I'm a dentist - like at least $500,000 a year. I'm not interested in omfs, ortho, or prosth however.

 

[sjdent]

"I plan on making a sh*tload of money when I'm a dentist - like at least $500,000 a year."

Oh, lord.

 

[TKD]

1. Oral Surgeons
2. Orthodontists
3. Prosthodontists
4. Anesthesiologists
5. Internists
6. Obstetricians
7. Psychiatrists
8. Surgeons
9. Physicians
10. Chief Executive Officers
11. Family Practitioners
12. Airline Pilots

ABC News
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Yahoo News 9/7/06

way off.
ophthalmology and dermatology are most competitive med specialties for a reason. i would say they double pros. surgeons make more than pros and ortho on average. true psychiatry, ob/gyn, family med and pediatry make less. endo is higher than prostho.

 

[Dr. Dai Phan]

I would like if the OP has a link for it or is it pure moonshine? DP

 

[aphistis]

I would like if the OP has a link for it or is it pure moonshine? DP

Pure bovine scatology, all of it.

 

[DocDoubleOc]

Here's the link, its a few up from the bottom. Don't bash someone else until you do a little research on your own.

http://news.yahoo.com/video/2461/pg:2

 

[TKD]

Here's the link, its a few up from the bottom. Don't bash someone else until you do a little research on your own.

http://news.yahoo.com/video/2461/pg:2

ok so i don't bash the op anymore. instead i'm bashing the reporter. must've interpreted data from bureau of labor incorrectly. again, derm, optho, oral surg yes they make a killing. there much more data stating plastic surgeons and other surgeons make more than prosth. i'm sorry.

 

[coolraz]

Before you bash dentistry, try to divide the income by number of days per year worked. You'll see that dentistry comes in pretty high up there. Eg. an ophtalmolgist would work 45 hours per week whereas the dentist is working 35.

 

[*mu]

Pure bovine scatology, all of it.

No kidding! I think this research was done by an oral surgeon who's brothers were a prosthodontist and orthodontist.

CEO's ON AVERAGE making less than the average physician? No way! Bovine scatology indeed.

 

[2quik]

Yeah i thought CEOs are in the top 3. And what about college football coaches?? dont they make a ridiculous amount anually?

 

[jaehk]

Here's the link, its a few up from the bottom. Don't bash someone else until you do a little research on your own.

http://news.yahoo.com/video/2461/pg:2

I completely agree.

For those of you who are disagreeing with the result - so what kind of professional credentials do you have to back up your humble opinion? ABC news aren't made of undergrad dropouts right?

Probably CEO's may make some money from stock options etc, but how many CEO's really do make millions? Not all CEO's are Bill Gates.
The report from ABC is probably the avg income of individuals in these particular professions.

Lets enjoy it - why argue about this? isn't this kinda like talking **** to ourselves??

 

[DDSY]

1. Oral Surgeons
2. Orthodontists
3. Prosthodontists
4. Anesthesiologists
5. Internists
6. Obstetricians
7. Psychiatrists
8. Surgeons
9. Physicians
10. Chief Executive Officers
11. Family Practitioners
12. Airline Pilots

ABC News
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Yahoo News 9/7/06

Sorry, but I agree with the other posts and the ranking in and of itself is not credible. How can a surgeon (#8) earn less than a psychiatrist (#7)? Secondly, internists (5), obstretricians(6), pyschiatr(7), surgeons (8)and family practitioners (11) are ALL physicians (9), so how could physicians have a category of its own? Add this to the others flaws mentioned by other posts.

 

[ShawnOne]

Yeah i thought CEOs are in the top 3. And what about college football coaches?? dont they make a ridiculous amount anually?

What a coincidence, I was thinking the same thing as I walked by Pete Caroll's 07' SL550 on the way to eat lunch today. Heard he earns 7 figures annually.

 

[Motown]

I found this interesting...

http://www.forbes.com/2006/05/20/06work_bestpayjobs_slide.html

credible?

 

[DDSY]

I found this interesting...

http://www.forbes.com/2006/05/20/06work_bestpayjobs_slide.html

credible?

Interesting. According to Forbes, the best paying jobs are:
1. Surgeon 181K
2. Anesthesiologist 175K
3. OB/GYN 175K
4. Oral Surgeon 170K
5. Internist, General 157K
6. Prosthodontist 157K
7. Orthodontist 153K
8. Psychiatrist 151K
9. CEO 141K
10. Pediatrician, Gen 140K
11. Family and General Practitioner 138K
12. Physician and Surgeons outside of main specialty 137 K
13. Airline Pilot/Engineer 134K
14. Dentists, General 132K
15. Podiatrist 111K
16. Lawyers 110.5K
17. etc.

 

[DDSY]

Definitely more credible.

 

[Motown]

 

[scalpel2008]

Interesting. According to Forbes, the best paying jobs are:
1. Surgeon 181K
2. Anesthesiologist 175K
3. OB/GYN 175K
4. Oral Surgeon 170K
5. Internist, General 157K
6. Prosthodontist 157K
7. Orthodontist 153K
8. Psychiatrist 151K
9. CEO 141K
10. Pediatrician, Gen 140K
11. Family and General Practitioner 138K
12. Physician and Surgeons outside of main specialty 137 K
13. Airline Pilot/Engineer 134K
14. Dentists, General 132K
15. Podiatrist 111K
16. Lawyers 110.5K
17. etc.

working 2 days/week? 5 years ago the ADA's figure was exactly double that. I know residents signing contracts starting at >300K (with production incentives) and that's not an unusual figure in the midwest.

 

[Motown]

I have to say that I too was surprised by the figures I'm not entirely sure how Forbes collected thier data but I will say that the Mean Average Salary might be a misleading way of categorizing it - in that the distribution may be significantly skewed by the lowest values. But then again...I'm not a statistician.

This link more accuratly explains the methodology:
http://www.forbes.com/2006/05/20/best-paying-jobs_cx_pm_06work_0523jobs.html

 

[Lesley]

I found this interesting...

http://www.forbes.com/2006/05/20/06work_bestpayjobs_slide.html

credible?

 

[DDSY]

From Forbes

The survey covers full- and part-time workers who are paid a wage or salary. It does not include the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers and unpaid family workers. . . . That all helps explain why mean annual wages appear lower than one might have expected

Many dentists are owners or self-employed, and I doubt that many of them are incorporated. Salaried dentists earn significantly less. That explains at least some of the income discrepancy

Interesting

 

[dmd01]

http://www.allied-physicians.com/salary_surveys/physician-salaries.htm

check out these numbers, they seem pretty legit

 

[Inkabellous]

Although it doesn't include the details, I think that this one is pretty accurate as far as the average salary goes.

Top 10: Highest-paying careers
Average salary

Chief Executives $254,643
Physician/Surgeon $247,536
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons $211,766
Lawyer $153,923
Sales manager $135,903
Financial services sales agents $130,385
Financial managers $128,910
Dentist $122,883
Financial advisor $122,462
Natural sciences managers $116,504

From CNN - Money: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bestjobs/snapshots/30.html

 

[Tony Almeida]

All the sources mentioned in this topic disagree with ADA findings.

What is a dentist's average net income?

The average net income for an independent private practitioner who owned all or part of his or her practice in 2003 was $177,340 for a general practitioner and $300,200 for a specialist.

Source: http://www.ada.org/ada/prod/survey/faq.asp

 

[Lesley]

Averages apply to groups, not individuals.

The ADA site also states that 91% of all dental students graduate on average with $141,521 in debt. It doesn't imply that every student has that amount of debt.

Individual circumstances will determine both.

 

[gwen]

i'm an internist so i don't know about dentists' salaries, but here's what i know for medicine (its not forbes or yahoo...personal experience/knowledge). this is the ranking order for salary...

1. plastic surgery
2. neurosurgery
3. cardiology (subspl of Internal medicine) (interventional>noninterventional) (average 300K)
4. orthopedic surgery/GI
5 derm/ radiation onc
6 urology/ophthalmology
7 radiology (avg 250K+)
8 anesthesiology (avg 250K)/ general surgery
9 ob/gyn (roughly 200K)/pathology
10 internal medicine (avg outpatient doc - $120-150 and inpatient $160-200K)
11. psychiatry
12. family practice
13. pediatrics

 

[setdoc7]

I agree with Gwen, at least in the east, plastic surgeons (cosmetic) and neurosurgeons are the top paid, and make far more than any OMFS I have ever encountered, and don't work terrible hours. Post grad training years are comparable.

 

[TiggerJSA]

Although it doesn't include the details, I think that this one is pretty accurate as far as the average salary goes.

Top 10: Highest-paying careers
Average salary

Chief Executives $254,643
Physician/Surgeon $247,536
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons $211,766
Lawyer $153,923
Sales manager $135,903
Financial services sales agents $130,385
Financial managers $128,910
Dentist $122,883
Financial advisor $122,462
Natural sciences managers $116,504

From CNN - Money: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bestjobs/snapshots/30.html

This definitely seems inaccurate considering that the average starting salary seems to be ~200K for OMS. After some years of growing practice, salary probably runs closer to 350K on average...

 

[scalpel2008]

I agree with Gwen, at least in the east, plastic surgeons (cosmetic) and neurosurgeons are the top paid, and make far more than any OMFS I have ever encountered, and don't work terrible hours. Post grad training years are comparable.

although I do think that the list in the OP is bogus, I am surprised by your claim that plastic surgeons "make far more than any OMFS (you) have ever encountered." I think that might apply to OMS in academia, but I know of several OMS in private practice who make >500K, a few taking home >1 million and 1 who takes home >2 mill (obviously an exception). Maybe it's a midwest thing. I agree that neurosurgeons, cardiothoracic and orthopaedic (spine) surgeons blow away all other surgical specialties, but pvt practice OMS (5 days /week) is up there in my estimation. In the midwest, packages for new residents are in the neighborhood of 250-300K(including production incentives) with partnership in 1-2 years w/o buy in (at which point you see that number increase drasctically), and I know of a practice 2 hours from me offering 350K + benefits. It's obviously a supply/demand issue and the east coast is probably saturated.
However, it's because private practice is so lucrative that we have a shortage of OMS in academia and I think the problem is only going to get worse over the next 10-20 years.

 

[lnn2]

i'm an internist so i don't know about dentists' salaries, but here's what i know for medicine (its not forbes or yahoo...personal experience/knowledge). this is the ranking order for salary...

1. plastic surgery
2. neurosurgery
3. cardiology (subspl of Internal medicine) (interventional>noninterventional) (average 300K)
4. orthopedic surgery/GI
5 derm/ radiation onc
6 urology/ophthalmology
7 radiology (avg 250K+)
8 anesthesiology (avg 250K)/ general surgery
9 ob/gyn (roughly 200K)/pathology
10 internal medicine (avg outpatient doc - $120-150 and inpatient $160-200K)
11. psychiatry
12. family practice
13. pediatrics

I thought that pediatrics would bring in more than family practice? What's the average for family practice?

 

[GatorDMD]

Here's the link, its a few up from the bottom. Don't bash someone else until you do a little research on your own.

http://news.yahoo.com/video/2461/pg:2

am i blind? which one is it? what is the title or direct link?

 

[setdoc7]

Perhaps midwest is better for OMFS, but on the east coast they are not touching the plastic surgeons. Keep in mind that Plastics here are mostly am surg cases and the surgeons own the facility. Also, since cosmetics is mostly cash, the fees are very hi. Not many OMS doing Rhino or bleph in the east, although I hear it is much more prevalent in the midwest. In NYC, most cosmetic work done by Plastic and ENT. And don't forget how plastics is doing very well with a little procedure called LIPO. Again, different parts of the country have different rates of remuneration and different scopes of practice.

 

[gwen]

well, peds and FP are about the same. FPs can make a bit more sometimes if they choose to do the OB part and they can do several procedures in the office.

I thought that pediatrics would bring in more than family practice? What's the average for family practice?

 

[gary_ruska]

Perhaps midwest is better for OMFS, but on the east coast they are not touching the plastic surgeons. Keep in mind that Plastics here are mostly am surg cases and the surgeons own the facility. Also, since cosmetics is mostly cash, the fees are very hi. Not many OMS doing Rhino or bleph in the east, although I hear it is much more prevalent in the midwest. In NYC, most cosmetic work done by Plastic and ENT. And don't forget how plastics is doing very well with a little procedure called LIPO. Again, different parts of the country have different rates of remuneration and different scopes of practice.

Gary "East Coast Moneymaker" Ruska here,
This statement is only partly true. OMFS on the east coast are most certainly earning big $$$, comparable to those of plastics/ent. The only thing is, they are earning their incomes by taking out wisdom teeth and putting in implants, rather than doing cosmetics. Cosmetics procedures are certainly not the only procedures that pay.

GR was at a recent state association meeting of OMFS - the annual incomes, on average, in the east coast, range around 400 - 500K.

Another thing cosmetic surgery is and always has been a "buyer beware" market and intensely competitive to break into, and most PRS/ENTs who start in practice aren't making the big bucks. There have been PRS studies that demonstrate that the highest paid PRS are those in their 50s, so the PRS averages may be high, but there is an incredibly wide variation in incomes for those folks. OMFS folks may have similar incomes, but there is a narrower range, and they work fewer hours.

GR would in general agree with the statement that PRS make more than OMFS, but certainly not substantially more.

 

[magik88]

A slightly more general list

http://www.forbes.com/2002/09/03/0903jobpay.html

 

[Equinis]

I'm surprised that investment bankers, venture capitalists, etc. weren't researched for this list.

My gf made $135,000 this past year, age 22, her first year out of undergrad. And she has no student loans to worry about from grad school, since no extra schooling was necessary. The VPs in her office, who are about the age of people who are medical residents, make probably an average of $600,000-$800,000 a year. Managing directors, in their 40s, make around $2,000,000-$3,000,000. This is at a mid-tier investment bank (not bulge bracket).

EDIT: To be exact, she made $55,000 base salary with a $80,000 bonus. In her second year out of undergrad (this year) she is making $70,000 base and can expect a ~$100,000 bonus. The majority of money thrown around in the paragraph above comes from bonus, not base salary. But their base salary (for VP's, D's, and MD's) is still quite a bit more than seen in any medical profession in the country.

 

[fun8stuff]

I'm surprised that investment bankers, venture capitalists, etc. weren't researched for this list.

My gf made $135,000 this past year, age 22, her first year out of undergrad. And she has no student loans to worry about from grad school, since no extra schooling was necessary. The VPs in her office, who are about the age of people who are medical residents, make probably an average of $600,000-$800,000 a year. Managing directors, in their 40s, make around $2,000,000-$3,000,000. This is at a mid-tier investment bank (not bulge bracket).

EDIT: To be exact, she made $55,000 base salary with a $80,000 bonus. In her second year out of undergrad (this year) she is making $70,000 base and can expect a ~$100,000 bonus. The majority of money thrown around in the paragraph above comes from bonus, not base salary. But their base salary (for VP's, D's, and MD's) is still quite a bit more than seen in any medical profession in the country.

yeah, but do you know how rare it is to get a position like that? it is harder to get a position paying that good than it is to get into a regular, mid tier med or dental school.

 

[scalpel2008]

I'm surprised that investment bankers, venture capitalists, etc. weren't researched for this list.

My gf made $135,000 this past year, age 22, her first year out of undergrad. And she has no student loans to worry about from grad school, since no extra schooling was necessary. The VPs in her office, who are about the age of people who are medical residents, make probably an average of $600,000-$800,000 a year. Managing directors, in their 40s, make around $2,000,000-$3,000,000. This is at a mid-tier investment bank (not bulge bracket).

EDIT: To be exact, she made $55,000 base salary with a $80,000 bonus. In her second year out of undergrad (this year) she is making $70,000 base and can expect a ~$100,000 bonus. The majority of money thrown around in the paragraph above comes from bonus, not base salary. But their base salary (for VP's, D's, and MD's) is still quite a bit more than seen in any medical profession in the country.

medicine/dentistry are by no means the way to wealth. one can be guaranteed to lead a comfortable life, but like chris rock said in bigger and blacker "Shaq is rich, the guy writing his paycheck is wealthy".

 

[Equinis]

yeah, but do you know how rare it is to get a position like that? it is harder to get a position paying that good than it is to get into a regular, mid tier med or dental school.

Well, it's not THAT rare. They have enough people in positions like that to fill up 3 skyscrapers in Manhattan at her firm, more in other cities. Just one firm out of 12-15 similar ones.

 

[fun8stuff]

Well, it's not THAT rare. They have enough people in positions like that to fill up 3 skyscrapers in Manhattan at her firm, more in other cities. Just one firm out of 12-15 similar ones.

Not everybody in the skyscrapers is going to make that much, there is less job security, and a lot of the people in those buildings have had their jobs for over a year; there are far less opening positions. There are still more opening positions for medical students available each year than there are for the types of positions that you are referring to. This is why physicians average salary is higher: while some business/IB/etc are bringing in the doe, there are far more of these banking types not doing so hot.

Medicine/Dentistry practically guarentee you a lifelong income in the top 1-5%. Very few occupations can give you this kind of job security.

 

[Inkabellous]

Yeah and when the market is down, the only guarantee is that base salary of $55,000. A bonus is a bonus and it depends on the business climate which could vary greatly each year. This is the job insecurity people are talking about.

 

[Inkabellous]

Besides, even if they are making that kind of money, there is no guarantee that they are satisfied with their lives/jobs. Gratification is rare in business world.

 

[Equinis]

Not everybody in the skyscrapers is going to make that much, there is less job security, and a lot of the people in those buildings have had their jobs for over a year; there are far less opening positions. There are still more opening positions for medical students available each year than there are for the types of positions that you are referring to. This is why physicians average salary is higher: while some business/IB/etc are bringing in the doe, there are far more of these banking types not doing so hot.

Medicine/Dentistry practically guarentee you a lifelong income in the top 1-5%. Very few occupations can give you this kind of job security.

More job security, yes. But a lower salary for both doctors and dentists than investment bankers. That is guaranteed.

Investment banking jobs for people as old as med school graduates (no longer residents) have *averaged* in the $500,000's to $800,000's for a very long time. EVEN WHEN THE MARKET IS DOWN. They don't have quite as much job security, but they have enough.

If you want to make a lot of money, and that's your primary goal, it NEVER makes sense to go into something requiring a lot of schooling versus investment banking. By the time a doctor graduates medical school, or a dentist graduates dental school, an investment banker is already at the point where he can retire comfortably if he wants to. Most investment bankers retire at some point in their late 30's.

This being said, you pretty much have to go to a top 20 school to interview with investment banks. The only state schools you really have a chance from are UVa, Michigan, and Berkeley. For medicine, you can pretty much go to any school and have a good shot. So yes, it's a bit more selective in the investment banking pool than the medical/dental pools.

 

[Equinis]

Yeah and when the market is down, the only guarantee is that base salary of $55,000. A bonus is a bonus and it depends on the business climate which could vary greatly each year. This is the job insecurity people are talking about.

The first years this year started at $60,000. The worst bonus in the worst year for the stock market would be around $25,000. So you're guaranteed $85,000 straight out of undergrad in investment banking. And like I said, in a good year about $140,000 (taking into account the extra $5k base this year). The banker is guaranteed around $300,000-$800,000 yearly by the time a dentist would graduate dental school, and no student loans to pay off. By the time the most renowned dentist in the world would start hitting his stride, the investment banker has been retired for years.

Anyone who thinks that dentists are the highest paid profession are kidding themselves. Job security? Yes, but not that much more. General dentists were going out of business across the country as recently as the 1980s. Dental schools were closing, too.

 

[gryffindor]

The first years this year started at $60,000. The worst bonus in the worst year for the stock market would be around $25,000. So you're guaranteed $85,000 straight out of undergrad in investment banking. And like I said, in a good year about $140,000 (taking into account the extra $5k base this year). The banker is guaranteed around $300,000-$800,000 yearly by the time a dentist would graduate dental school, and no student loans to pay off. By the time the most renowned dentist in the world would start hitting his stride, the investment banker has been retired for years.

Anyone who thinks that dentists are the highest paid profession are kidding themselves. Job security? Yes, but not that much more. General dentists were going out of business across the country as recently as the 1980s. Dental schools were closing, too.

I used to see a lot of these young financial people as patients when I worked in the city. I don't know that they were all raking in so much, but as a dentist, I didn't envy their lifestyle or potential to make money at all. Always having a boss breathing down your neck, ridiculous scut work & deadlines, being tethered to your blackberry 24-7 (some of them couldn't even bear to put it down for the 30 minute dental procedure), being unable to schedule personal days because the firm pretty much owns you. A lot of them told me they were scared of getting fired because there is high competition to get those jobs. As an employee dentist, I was able to set my own hours, only had to deal with 1 boss (the owner), work as little or as much as I wanted (depending on how much you want to make), and have time for personal days because a cleaning for Friday can easily be rescheduled for next Tuesday with little repercussion. It is possible to have a good quality of life and make 6 figures as a young dentist who doesn't own his own practice. I have plenty of colleagues doing this.

However, like you said, if you want a quicker route to make ridiculous sums of money then drilling & filling isn't the best way to do it.